The new IRIS² satellite communications system, which is expected to consist of 290 vehicles, is one step closer to reality. On December 16, the European Commission signed the contract for the concession and now the direct construction of the vehicles themselves should begin.
European Satellite Communication System
The European Union was inspired to create Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) by the success of the Stalink system created by Elon Musk in Ukraine. It was decided that the Old World would be better off not relying on SpaceX, but developing its own solution.
Back in November 2022, it was decided that it would be a system of 290 satellites orbiting the earth. At the same time, some of them will be in low orbits and some in medium orbits.
All this is being done to provide members of the European Union with reliable satellite communications. It must be resilient to any obstacles or attempts to neutralize the vehicles themselves in orbit and achieve strategic autonomy.
Public-private partnership
The signed agreement will be in effect for at least the next 12 years. According to it, a consortium of public and private enterprises will be created, which will implement the project. It will be led by three major European satellite operators: SES SA, Eutelsat SA and Hispasat S.A.
They will be assisted by an extensive network of subcontractors. It will be created through an initiative that quickly brings smaller manufacturers into the process, but it is already known that firms such as Thales Alenia Space, OHB, Airbus Defense and Space, Telespazio, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Hisdesat, and Thales SIX will participate.
This is the third global space program of the European Union. 10.6 billion euros have been allocated for it. It is expected to be operational as early as 2027, and in 2030 subscribers will be able to use all its features.
Provided by ec.europa.eu
